Curriculum

Curriculum

Driffield School and Sixth Form Curriculum rationale

Our curriculum is designed to ensure that all students are able to thrive both academically and personally at Driffield school, and prepare them for life after school. In order to achieve this, we believe students need to engage fully with their learning, both in school and out of school, as well as feel valued and supported as they grow and develop.

High quality teaching and learning is at the heart of any successful curriculum. This is underpinned by good planning, effective delivery and an assessment schedule that informs learning and progress.

The five year academic curriculum is broad and balanced, with a focus on the core subjects of English, Maths and Science. The key stage three curriculum focuses on developing the skills and knowledge needed to successfully move on to key stage 4. At the end of key stage three, students opt for three subjects bringing the number of GCSEs they sit to nine, if they follow the trilogy Science course, or ten if they follow the triple Science course. Students are allocated to the appropriate Science pathway at the end of year 10. RE became a compulsory GCSE for students starting GCSEs in September 2017, as we believe students should be rewarded with a qualification for each subject they study at key stage 4. Students sit this qualification in year 10, having followed the programme for the previous two years. This also allows more time in year 11 for the GCSE option subjects to ensure the students are thoroughly prepared for their examinations.

All students have two hours of core PE a week and there are plenty of extracurricular opportunities for sport both at lunch time and after school.

The spiritual, moral and social development of our students is extremely important at Driffield school and sixth form. Therefore, our academic curriculum is complemented by our personal development and form time programme. This includes four personal development days throughout the year which focus on age-specific issues such as relationships, that are not covered elsewhere on the curriculum, as well as teaching our students the importance of British Values and preparing them for life beyond school.